The SIMPLEST Solar with micro inverts and DATA!

[jasonhc73]

About 90 minutes of data gathering.

This will work with ANY A/C system, grid-tied or OFF-GRID.

4 Panels

Used 270W 72 Cell Polycrystalline Solar Panels 270 Watts Vinyl Cracking | eBay

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Newest BN-LINK 15 amp wifi smart switches.

https://www.amazon.com/BN-LINK-Monitoring-Function-Compatible-Assistant/dp/B07CX5KLXN

Y&HGrid Tied Micro-Inverters

31.5US $ 20% OFF|Newly 350w 300w 260w Mppt Micro On Grid Solar Inverter Solar Pv Grid Tied Inverter 18-50vdc 110/220vac Waterproof Ip55 - Solar Inverters - AliExpress

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or

Amazon.com : Y&H 350W Grid Tie Micro Inverter MPPT Pure Sine Wave Voc38-50V Input AC90-140V Output for 36V Solar Panel : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : Y&H 350W Grid Tie Micro Inverter MPPT Pure Sine Wave Voc38-50V Input AC90-140V Output for 36V Solar Panel : Patio, Lawn & Garden

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(Any Grid Tied Micro Inverter will work, these are the ones I used)
These micro-inverters work with my Off-Grid setup or my Grid-Tied setup. They only need a sine wave to work with. If you have an inverter that produces a 120V 60Hz sine wave, these will work and put 120V on the circuit. Be warned though, if you do not have a net-meter and connect these with a grid-tied setup, you might actually send power back to the grid and get double billed. Regular meters only measure flow, they don't know if it's coming or going.

~ 270W rated panels, so maybe 1 kW of potential output.

Panels	$299.96
Micro Inverters	$209.15
BN-LINK Wifi Smart Switches	$27.99
Electrical Cords	~$20.00
Total	$557.10

 

[Thunderstorm2011]

My question would be why are you using use cracked solar panels. Yes I know they're cheap

 

[jasonhc73]

My question would be why are you using use cracked solar panels. Yes I know they're cheap

You answered your question.

1 kWp for $300.

Show me how else you can get 1 kWp for $300

 

[Thunderstorm2011]

You do know the health concerns with broken panels and them leaching into the ground where you live. They released cadmium and several of the chemicals that cause cancer and other health issues

 

[jasonhc73]

I have the Main switch turns on at Sunrise and off at Sunset.
I have the panels turn on 5 minutes after Sunrise and off 5 minutes before Sunset.

There really isn't any PV production until about 90 minutes after sunrise or before sunset.
Turning all 5 switches off helps keep the data accurate. Each switch has wifi and led to skew the numbers.

Yesterday when I connected the inverter pigtail to the A/C cord I messed up one of the butt connectors but didn't know it. Today when I saw there was no output, I then knew. The inverter itself was in a ready state because it was processing PV DC, but the inverter did not have a sine wave to bond with, so it just sat there idle.

 

[Choco]

Sorry complete newb question, how do these work off grid if you need a Sine Wave to sync too?
I'm trying to get my head around the physical layout side of things?

 

[jasonhc73]

Sorry complete newb question, how do these work off grid if you need a Sine Wave to sync too?
I'm trying to get my head around the physical layout side of things?

All grid tied systems listen to the power on the wire before they send power to the wire.

They listen for frequency and voltage. The frequency has to be there, sometimes the frequency goes out of tolerance, but as long as the frequency is within the range, the grid tied inverter will synchronize to that frequency and then add voltage to the line.

Notice that since the frequency is not a 100% always stable frequency, it allows for some wiggle room. That this means you can pretend to be the grid with an off grid inverter.

All inverters, invert DC into a sine wave at a specific speed, aka frequency.

 

[Choco]

So do you have Two separate arrays? A normal DC array and another AC micro array?
Wondering what various equipment you have to manage this?

 

[jasonhc73]

So do you have Two separate arrays? A normal DC array and another AC micro array?
Wondering what various equipment you have to manage this?

Yes. Well actually 3 systems.

The grid tied is DC and uses "optimizers".
The string off grid uses DC to the inverter.
The little grid tied AC micro inverter system has a inverter on each panel, and puts AC on the line, the wall plug.

 

[Hendo7]

You answered your question.

1 kWp for $300.

Show me how else you can get 1 kWp for $300

san tan solar ,250 watts panels for around $50 used but comes with warranty
thanks for posting your tests